Verticals

Rice paper monotype prints

Line in art comprises one of the seven most known elements (the other six being form, shape, value, color, texture, and space). These are formal art tools that are applied to create a visual art composition and span across all fine arts, photography, architecture…

In a very simple classification, lines (in an artwork) can be horizontal, vertical, diagonal or curved.

Horizontal lines convey distance and space through linear perspective, which creates depth and three-dimensionality (horizon).

Vertical lines are “perpendicular” to the earth’s surface/horizon, or any other horizontal line.

When we look at vertical lines, we think of strength (for example stone pillars). Moreover, vertical lines represent dignity.

Take a look at Georgia O’Keefe paintings of New York City, an impossible vertical task, heights of skyscrapers squished into two-dimensional space, yet towering proudly over skies and converging in an upward vision – city in its essence.

In our paperwork so far we have created images using curved lines and shapes – neurons and ropes, organics, abstracts, transparent, depth and interest achieved by color layering, not by the perspective.

In the current ‘spur of inspiration’, Hung is adding verticals to gel printing – a newly found sense of strength, architectural…

But, most of all, a sense of walking through Canadian woods, tall trees extending into infinite and belittling heights.  The inspiration comes from her photo of the winter landscape, verticals of tree trunks moving the eyesight towards infinitely white skies.   Or…is it her recent visit to New York City?

It is perpetually amazing (at least for me) how simple line direction or position could so utterly transform the mood of a painting. Wood trunks or city streets? Tall masts in a harbor? Gaze moving up to fractured sky in tall woods?